“Advancing Environmental Protection Through Science and Technology"

The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a subcommittee hearing on June 5, 2026, titled "Advancing Environmental Protection Through Science and Technology." The hearing focused on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) recent reorganization, specifically the creation of the Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions (Oasis) and the dissolution of the Office of Research and Development (ORD). Members discussed the impact of this restructuring on EPA's scientific capacity, independence, and transparency. Key procurement-related topics included concerns about staffing reductions, the shift of scientific expertise into program offices, and the potential political oversight of scientific research, including an interim approval process requiring political leadership sign-off on Oasis work. The hearing also addressed the status of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) chemical assessments and the use of new scientific methods like computational toxicology to address regulatory backlogs. While no specific contract awards or budget allocations were detailed, the discussion highlighted policy and organizational changes that could affect future EPA research procurement and scientific vendor opportunities. The committee emphasized the need for maintaining gold standard science and scientific integrity in EPA's regulatory decisions.